-Mustapha tells Private Sector Commission
The government has arranged for the importation of approximately 330,000 pounds of chicken per week to address what it described as temporary gaps in the local supply.
Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha disclosed the planned imports during a meeting yesterday with representatives of the Private Sector Commission (PSC), according to a statement from the Ministry of Agriculture.
The ministry’s statement on its Facebook page did not identify the countries from which the chicken would be sourced, the companies authorised to import it or the expected duration of the arrangement.
Mustapha said the imports would supplement local production and help maintain adequate supplies while domestic output recovers.
The announcement comes days after David Fernandes, Managing Director of Bounty Farm Limited and President of the Caribbean Poultry Association, told Kiskadee Watch that the shortage had resulted from reduced local production and rising demand.
Fernandes expressed the hope that production would begin stabilising by September.
“We’re hoping that by sometime in September, if not before, we could actually say to government that we have gained some level of consistent production again,” he had said.
He identified limited processing and cold-storage capacity as a major weakness in the poultry industry and said additional storage would help prevent recurring shortages.
According to Fernandes, farmers are often forced to sell birds immediately during periods of oversupply because they lack facilities to store processed chicken.
If farmers cannot clear their poultry houses, they are unable to take new chicks. Hatcheries are then forced to cut production because farmers have no space for additional birds, he explained.
Fernandes said this cycle contributed to the present shortage, which followed an oversupply that began around April.
He also pointed to increased consumption, estimating that Guyana’s population and economy had expanded by approximately 25% between 2020 and 2026, resulting in higher disposable incomes and greater demand for chicken.
The continuing effects of Inclusion Body Hepatitis, a disease which affected poultry operations and forced some farmers out of production, were also cited by Fernandes.
While he said the disease was now almost in the past, Fernandes stressed the need for strict biosecurity measures to guard against further outbreaks.
Representatives of the poultry industry had met Mustapha before Monday’s engagement and recommended that the government temporarily increase imports to relieve pressure on the market.
Fernandes said the industry normally asks the government to restrict imports during periods of oversupply to protect local farmers but accepted that the opposite response was needed now.
He did not consider the shortage to have reached crisis proportions, noting that frozen chicken could be imported from Brazil relatively quickly.
Mustapha described the importation measure as a temporary and managed intervention intended to protect consumers while avoiding harm to local producers.
The New Guyana Marketing Corporation will facilitate the process, with the imported chicken expected to be distributed through local suppliers and distributors.
According to the minister, the government will monitor the imports to determine whether they are helping to stabilise the market.
Mustapha said the government and stakeholders were monitoring production, supply and consumer demand so shortages could be addressed.
“The objective is to ensure that there is a reliable supply of chicken for consumers while creating the conditions for our local poultry industry to continue expanding and becoming more resilient,” he said.
The minister also referred to plans to expand storage and cold-storage capacity, in line with the concerns raised by Fernandes.
He said additional facilities would allow producers to preserve excess poultry during periods of high production and release it when demand increased.
According to Mustapha, this could provide greater predictability for producers and consumers and reduce fluctuations in supply.
The government would continue to consult poultry farmers, importers, distributors and other private-sector stakeholders, he said.
The ministry described the meeting with the PSC as part of consultations aimed at strengthening agricultural supply chains, improving market stability and supporting food security.
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